‘Tottenham is his love’ – Gareth Bale’s agent says Spurs move was ‘easy’ decision after Real Madrid disrespect

Jonathan Barnett says Real Madrid ‘should have kissed the ground he walked on’ after all he achieved there
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Richard Parry22 September 2020

Gareth Bale’s agent, Jonathan Barnett, insists that his client wasn’t intent on leaving Real Madrid and says that only moved this summer because ‘Tottenham is his love’.

The 31-year-old completed a sensational loan move back to north London on Saturday seven years after leaving Spurs for Madrid for a then world-record transfer fee.

Despite winning two LaLiga titles and four Champions League titles in a 13-trophy haul for Los Blancos, Bale became frozen out in Madrid under manager Zinedine Zidane.

Bale came close to moving to China in the January transfer window only for Real to pull the plug on the move, and Barnett suggested that the coronavirus pandemic made the Spanish champions more receptive to his departure this time around, in what was an ‘easy’ decision for Bale.

“This time I think circumstances made it a lot easier,” he told TalkSPORT. “It was all agreed that his career at Real Madrid was over so it was quite easy once we realised [Tottenham's interest] was serious. Everything was good.”

“We went through a lot of things together,” he continued. “Tottenham is his love - he loves Tottenham - he had other choices but at the end of the day that's the one he wanted and it's good to see him happy.

“He's got nothing to prove at all - just look at how successful he's been - he's won everything he could have possibly won and he's one of the world's greatest players.

“He wanted to play and obviously he will but his happiness is what matters the most and if he was going to move it was only going to be to somewhere he would smile again and be happy. He wouldn't move for the sake of it.

“We had other clubs, maybe bigger clubs than Tottenham, but he had to be happy where's he's gone and at the moment he's very happy.”

Asked whether he could stay beyond his current season-long loan deal, Barnett said: “It's up to him [Bale]. Most important thing is he's got to be enjoying his football and that he's playing well. As long as that's happening it's fine. He's a mature man now and he knows what he wants out of life.”

Friction between Zidane and Bale has been cited as a key reason for his departure, but Barnett insisted it was caused by a ‘build-up’ of issues.

“He's never fallen out of love with football - he may have fallen out of love with other things - but not playing football. I think back at Tottenham people will realise that.

“There was a build-up of clashing personalities, a build-up of not being supported - many different things. I think for someone who has done as well and a great as he has for Real Madrid he didn't get the respect he deserved. I think that was a big problem.

“I've been his agent since he was a very young boy and I'm so proud of him - not because of his achievements and everything else - but he's become a great man. He's never said anything wrong, he's never done anything, his life has been exemplary really.

“What's he's achieved for them [Real Madrid] they should be kissing the floor that he walks on.”

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